Canopy switch



Feb. 15, 1927.

CANOPY SWITCH Filed 0G12. 29, 1924 Patented yFeb. 155, 1927;

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canori: swrrca.

Application led October 29, 1924i.- lSerial No. 746,704'.

This invention relates to electrical switches, and particularly toaso-called can- -opy switch, although, it is not of course, confined touse as a canopy switch, and it is an object of the invention to providea toggle switch which may be used as' a canopy switch.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an improved andsimplified construction of switch withimproved and simple means for'mounting the switch in a canopy or secure it to a similar support, andit is a further object o the invention to provide a construction whichmay be easily and quickly assembled, and in which the various elementsare easily accessible for inspectionand repair.

Withl the 'foregoing and` other objectsin view, I have devised theconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawin forming a part ofthisspeciication, simi ar reference characters beingl employedthroughout the various figures to indicate corresponding elements. Inthis drawing,

Fig. 1 isa side elevation of a canopyfor a` light fixture with a portionthereof broken .away showing my improved switch in po-` sition.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a face plate with my improved switchattached thereto.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the plate of Fig. 2 shown in osition overa wall box, the

` wall box beings own in section.

Fig. 4 is a partial plan view and partial section`indicating how myimproved switch vnlaybe mounted on a panel board or the Fig.` 5 is avertical section through the device on an enlarged scale, the sectionbeing substantially on line y5--5 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a section substantially on line .6-6 of Fig.'5.

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the device looking from the right of Fig.5, and showing the binding posts covered by the protecting plate.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 on a smaller s calevshowing the plateturned to a position toy expose the binding posts, and

Figs. 9, 110 and 11 are detail views of the movable switch element.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 5 to 1l my improved switchcomprises a bodyy member 12 of insulating material having a chamber` 13therein opening both through the front and rear of the body member.

elements project into the chamber 13 and are bent upon themselves Vat 17.to provide spring contacts. The body member is provided in its rearface with recesses 18 in which binding` posts 19 are mounted, thebinding posts being connected with the staltionary contacts 16 by rivetsor screws 20 "passing through the body member and these l elements. Inthe present case the screws pass through the extensions 15 andv arethreaded into the plate of the binding posts. lt thus serves lto securethese elements to the bodymember and also to form an electricalconnection between them.

Mounted on *the front of the body 'member is a plate 21 which coverstheo ening to the the operating means therefor. It also ca rries meansfor mounting the device in a 'canopy or the like. `This plate ispractically the same shape andV size as'the body member and ispreferably cupped in the center at 22 to provide a little more roo'm forthe switch mechanism. This cupped portion has an opening in which atubular Supporting element 23 is mounted, and. the sides of the openingare also provided withpivot studs 24 for the switch relement.. Thiselement is of improved vconstruction and comprises a pair of supportingmembers 25 of insulating material, such as a suitable fibre, and theyopenings 26. At Vtheir free ends they carry the movable contact member27 which is a piece of sheet metal formed substantially as shown inFigs. 9, 10' and 11. It is bent to :are'pivoted on -the studs 24 'bymeans ,of-f

for passage of a bar 30l forming one member of the toggle operatingmechanism. This bar 30 -is also madev of insulating material and ispivotexlat 31 to a pivoted operating lever 32, which lever is p ivotedvat 33 in the tubular member 23, and a' compression spring 34 embracesthis bar and reacts at its i Y seen that the contact 27, which isadapted to engage the stationary contacts 16 and to 'bridge thesecontacts to close the circuit, is

entirely insulated from the -operating lever 32 and the plate 21. Thecontact 27 is also preferably provided with laterally inclined ears 36to engage the inner walls, of the chamber 13 and limit the movementsofthe contact element in opposite directions. The

/ reversal of this operation.

operation of this toggle will be clear from the drawing. Movement ofthefree end of the lever 32upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 5, will compress thespring 34 until the pivot 31 passes through the center of the switchelement when the spring will throw the free end carrying the contact 27upwardly with 'a snap actlon to bring the contact into engagement withthe stationary contacts 16. Operation in the opposite direction is amere The rear of the chamber 13 is closed by a plate 37 preferably ofinsulating material as a.' suitablebre. This plate, however, is not ofsufficient width to cover the binding posts 19 and it is secured inposition by suitable metal clips 38 secured to the body member and bentover the opposite ends of this plate. The ends of the plate are providedwith notches 39 through which these clips pass. The clips are preferablysecured to the body memberby tubular rivets 40 which extend throughthese clips, the body member and the plate 21, sothat they secure vtheplate 21 as` well-as the clips 38 to the bodymember. I also mount aninsulating plate 41 on the plate 37 .as by a rivet 42 at the centersthereof. This plate is provided with notches 43 inthe sides thereof,which, when the plate is turned to the position shown` in Fig. 8, willexpose the binding posts 19 to allow for easy attachment of the leadwires 44. After the wires have been connected this plate may be turnedto the position shown in Fig. 7 to cover the binding posts and preventaccidental short circuits or grounds' by objects which might come incontact therewith.

For mounting the device in a canopy 45 as ,shown in Fig. 1, or similarelements, the tubular member 23 is externally threaded as shown at 46,and this member may be extended through an opening in the side of thecanopy as shown in Fig. 1, and is clamped in, position by means of. nuts47 threaded onthe v tubular member, the outer portion of the cup '22engaging the inside of the canopy. Lead wires may be connected to thebin lngv posts and thus there is a convenient switch pro-` vided forwhatever fixture with which the canopy is associated. In Figs. 2 and 3 Ihowever, in the same manner as 1t is secured to the canopy as indicatedin Fig. 1, that-is, by passing the tubular member 23 through anopeningin the plate` and clamping it in positlon by nuts 47. In thiscase,however, as the plate is of greater thickness than the walls of thecanopy, one of the nuts 47 may be omitted. To prevent-turning of the element in the plate lugs 51 are formed in the outer wall of the cuppedportion 22 which 7 5 are seated in notches 52 in the rear wall oftheface plate. s

It may be that it is not convenient for the use for whichthe switch isemployed to; mount it ina plate or canopy, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,but it is preferred to mount it on the front of a panel. Such a mountingl i A' is shown in Fig. 4.. The panel is shown at 53 and the switch ismounted on the panel by means of screws 54 passing through the 85tubular rivets 40, which rivets are employed to secure the front plate21 and the clips 38 to the body member. In this latter arrangement it ispreferredV to mount an insulating late 55 betweenfthe rear of the bodymem- 90 Eer and the panel.

It will be` apparent from the foregoing description thatlI haveprovided. a toggle switch which ma be employed as a cano y switch, andwhic is equally adapted to Ibe mounted in a face plate or 'the like, andthat the act of mounting is a simple one of merely passing the threadedelement/23 through an opening in the canopy or plate and clamping itthereto by the nuts 47. It will also be apparent that thedevicej-isext'remely simple and that the various live elements arethoroughly insulated from any of the mountings or switch operatingmechanism. The movable switch element andthe toggle operating mechanismtherefor may be assembled onA the plate 2 1 and mounted as a complete assembly in the body member. By removing the rear lates 37 and 41- themechanism is exposed or inspection and repair.

Having thus set forth the nature of my in-I vention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a body of insulating materialhaving a chamber therein`open at the front and rear, sai'd 115 bodybeing provided with recesses on the front and rear ends, stationarycontactsl mounted in the front recesses, binding posts in the rearrecesses and connected to the con\ tacts, a plate secured to the frontofthe body, an insulating plate secured to the rear of the body to closesaid chamber, a movablecontact piveted to the first vmentioned plate andarranged to engage the stationary contacts,\ and means for shifting themovable contact. i c

2. In a device of the character described, a body member of insulatingmaterial havin a chamber therein, spaced contacts in sai chamber, amovable contact adaptatif to '-130 pivots.

bridge the 'stationary contacts, a plate-secured to said body` inember,athreaded elenient secured 'to' said plate,"means coacting with saidelement to secure the body to a support, a pair of insulatingmembershinged to the plate and secured to opposite sides of the movablecontact, andmeans including a spring for swinging said members on their3. In a device of the character described, a body member of insulatingmaterial having va chamber therein, spaced contacts in said chamber, amovable contact adapted to bridge the stationary contacts and ofsubstantially U-shape, a plate secured to lthe body member, a threadedtubular `element secured to said plate, means coacting with said elementto secure the body to a support.,-

a pair of insulating members hinged to said plate, means for securingthe sides of the movable contact to said members, and means including aspring between said membersA and a rocking lever mounted in the tubularpivots. l

4. In a device of the character described, a bodyinember of insulatingmaterial having element for swinging said members on their-- 'a chambertherein,'spaced contacts in said chamber, 'a movable contact adapted tobridge the stationary contacts and of substantially U-shape, saidcontact having an opening in its connecting portion, aplate secured tothe body member, a pair of support- 'ing members h inged to the plateand comber, a movable switch element pivoted to the plate comprising asubstantially U-shaped Contact adapted to bridge the stationary contactsand having clips on the sides thereof, and a pail' df supports for saidcontact 'made' of insulating material pivotedpto the plate and havingnotches in'tlieir opposite side edges to receivesaid clips, a pivotedlever, and a spring operated toggle connecting said lever and the switchelement. i

6. In a device of the character described, a body member of insulatingmaterial having a chamber therein, spaced contacts in said chamber, aplate secured to the body member, a movable switch element pivotedl tothe plate comprising a. substantially U- shaped contact adapted tobridgethe stationary contacts and having clips on the sides thereof, and apair of su ports for said movablecontact ma'de of insu ating materialApivoted to the plate and having notchesA in their opposite side. edgestoy receive said'clips, said U-shaped member-having anl opening in thecentral portion thereof, a pivoted lever,

a barof insulating material pivoted to said lever and extending intosaid opening, and a compression 'spring embracing said bar.

7. In a. device of the character described,

aninsulating body member-having fa chamber` extending therethrough fromfront to rear, stationary contacts in said chamber, a movable switchelement for bridging said contacts, a plate over the front of thechamber, means carried b the plate for operating said element, clips onthe rear end of said body, an insulating plate secured overv the rear ofsaid :chamber by` said clips, and

tubular rivets extending through the plate, the clips and body member tosecure them together, said rivets being adapted for passage of screws tomount the device.

8. In a device of the character described, an insulating body memberhaving a chamf ber therein, stationary contacts in said chamber, amovable switch element for bridging y said contacts, a plate on whichsaid element' is mounted. means for securing the plate tol the front ofthe body member, an externali ly 'threaded tubular member securedy tothe plate adapted to extend through an opening in a canopy or the likeandl be secured thereto by a nut threaded thereon, and an operatinglever for the switch element mounted in said tubular member, saidtubular member extending lbeyond the late in g position to form stops toengage t e lever and limit the moveiinieiits thereof in oppositedirections. l

9. In a device of the character described, an insulating body memberhaving a chamber therein opening through the front and ,rear wallsthereof, a plate secured to` the front of the body, a threaded tubularmein-v ber secured to the thereof, stationary Contact elements in thefront yrecesses and extending into said chamber, binding post elementslin the b4 k. re-

. cesses, electrically conductive securing means extending through said`elements and .the

, plate vadapted ,to ex- '1 tend through anopening ina vcanopy or the1'10 body member to secure them to saidmem-f' ber,a movable switchelement 'for bridging'- sthe stationary elements,.meaiis for o eratingthe movable'element, and an insu ating plate secured ltothei'ear of thebody to close l the rear opening to said chamber.

10. In a device of the character described,

an insulating body member provided with y a' chamber' opening throughthe` back thereof, 'switch elements mounted in said chamber, binding,posts secured to the back of the body member and connected to said ele`ments, an insulating plate secured to the body member and covering the'opening to said chamber, and asecond insulating plate pivoted to theVfirst plate and arranged to turn on itsv pivot to and from-a positionover the'binding` posts.` 1

11.v In a device of the character described, an insulating body memberrovided with a chamber opening through t e back therelof, switchelements mounted in said chamber, an insulating plate, and metal clipssecured tothe body member and arranged to engage 'said plate. to secureit over the opening to said chamber.

12. lIn a device of the character' described, an insulating body memberprovided with a chamber opening through the front and back thereof,stationary contacts in said chamber,

a platearranged to cover the front of said chamber, a plate arranged tocover the back y of said chamber,'clips for securing the back 20 plateto the body member, rivets extending through the front plate, bodymember andv clips to secure them together, a movable switch elementpivoted to the front plate, a pivoted lever, and operating means con- 25necting the lever and switch element.

13. In a device of the character described, an insulating body member,contacts carried thereby, binding vposts'mounted on therear of the bodymember and connected with the 30 i contacts, and an insulating platepivotally mountedfon the body member and arranged to be turned to andfrom a position over the binding posts. y

In testimony whereof I aiix my signa'- 35 ture. e

HARVEY HUBBELL.

